Paul Ryan's Would-Be Challenger Launches Hands Off Grandma Site

WASHINGTON -- Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) is taking his first political hit back home for a budget plan that critics say will hurt elderly Medicare beneficiaries.

Ryan, who chairs the powerful House Budget Committee, unveiled a proposal last week to start reining in the deficit in part by reconfiguring Medicare as a voucher-like program where seniors would get subsidized private insurance. The Congressional Budget Office found the move would cost seniors more.

Now Kenosha County Supervisor Rob Zerban is using that finding to help drum up support for his campaign to defeat Ryan.

Zerban, who announced his campaign just over two weeks ago, has launched a new website dubbed handsoffmygrandma.com, which turns the tables on the argument, popular among Republicans during the health care reform battle, that Democrats wanted to ration care for the elderly.

"After taking contributions from health care lobbyists, Paul Ryan now wants to empower insurance companies instead our seniors," the site's message says. "In fact, Ryan's plan will end of Medicare as we know it - raising premiums and cutting benefits for more than 20 million seniors across the country."

"Ryan is wrong, and we can't let him hurt our seniors," it says in a pitch for email addresses and names. "Sign up today to send a clear message to Paul Ryan - Hands Off My Grandma!"

Ryan's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Zerban's effort comes a week after Ryan rolled out his budget plan, and just one day after the AP reported voters in Ryan's hometown of Janesville, Wis., are apprehensive about changing Medicare.

Democrats don't think Ryan will be an easy target -- in 2010, he won with nearly 70% of the vote -- but a Democratic operative noted that a majority of voters in Ryan's district went for President Obama in 2008, just like in 60 other districts the party is targeting.

"Everyone wants to write stories about Paul Ryan's budget pushing Republicans off a cliff," the operative said. "Well, Paul Ryan may jump with them."

"When you start looking at it, there's a real play there. Obama won the district, and the base is fired up over the Scott Walker stuff," the operative added, referring to the Wisconsin governor's battle against labor unions.

Ryan's position as the head of the budget committee might also make him more vulnerable. Rep. John Spratt (D-S.C.), who held the same position, lost his seat last year after he had to lead the way on economic policies that were unpopular among some.

"The more Ryan gets out in front on this, the tougher it is for him," the operative said.

 

 

Comments

[Sharon Johnson]

08:03 AM on 04/29/2011

You can donate to Rob Zerban's campaign here: http://robzerban.com/

[TC Phlo]

02:40 PM on 04/16/2011

Gosh...poor Mr. Ryan....I feel for him as much as he feels for our senior citizens, poor, children, women, oh..basically anyone who isn't rich and powerful...that is to say...nothing at all.

[builderman55]

10:15 AM on 04/14/2011

In 2011, the average VEO made 1039 times the average worker. If you like this trend, by all means, vote for the GOP...

[builderman55]

10:13 AM on 04/14/2011

Recently read an article about Ryan: He is an avid devotee of Ayn Rand. I have read her book, Atlas Shrugged, a very interestmg read, but her philosophy is so flimsy that a smart teenager could pick it apart. She sees only one class as worthy of adulation: entrepreneurs. Workers and government are all parasites trying to take their wealth away. It is very easy to knock down straw men--her vision of the world has never and will never exist, because in a truly healthy country, entrepreneurs, businesses and workers are all essential elements, with government acting as umpire to see to it that the game is played according to the rules. What we have now is a corporate/government alliance against the interests of the working class, a system that the current GOP leadership wants to cement even more firmly, despite the fact that it was just that unholy alliance that brought us to this current malaise. Is there any doubt but that the GOP has contempt for the middle and lower classes? While the super-rich are exclusively enjoying the fruits of the last 30 years of deregulation, the middle class is slipping into poverty. Government has been forced to add more and more aid to the middle class because the wealthy are taking more and more of the wealth. A more balanced tax policy would enable the middle class to be more self sufficient. In 1970, the average CEO made 39 times the average worker in America. In 2011,

[Sisa]

07:16 AM on 04/14/2011

In state after state where republicans are in the majority and control the governorship the agenda is the same.... The super wealthy have bought them out through campaign contributions as muscle against the middle class in their agenda to make themselves lords over the christian industrialized serfdom which they have envisioned.  The 10%  of the people who control 60%+ of the wealth in this nation are laughing all the way to the bank.  They are amused at how easily through their use of the media ( which they own ) they have injected thier fear based agenda pushing lies upon the very people they are put to destroy... They have successfully found a scapegoat in the form of Unions; more specifically public unions, and have spared no effort to discredit and vilify them to turn the have less's against the have a little more's.  They applaud the fact that working class republicans have forgotten that without the unions none of the working advantages they enjoy would be possible.... From 8 hour days to 40 hour work weeks, from unemployment to workmens compensation, from overtime pay, holidays , paid vacation, sick leave, 401K's, occupational safety and health thru freedom from violence, sexual harassment, and discrimination and health care.... They have forgotten..... Somehow they have been been hypnotized into believing that we will all be provided for through the benevolence of the job creating super rich.     

[agro23]

06:07 PM on 04/13/2011

Wisconsin, eh? Can he be recalled too?

[rtlr1004]

02:34 PM on 04/27/2011

Can we recall ALL of them? What exactly is the law regarding recalling U.S. Congress men and women? Ryan, Boehner and his little snide Virginia cohort should be at the top of the recall list. Come on Wisconsin and Ohio and Virginia...let's take down all of these corporate owned Republicans.

[Godiva]

12:32 PM on 04/13/2011

Have the Dems finally got the message about the importance of Framing and Messaging from the Teapulician play book?
Gee By Golly Wow!

[Kazer Soze]

02:03 PM on 04/13/2011

Thy all are children of one corporate mom!

[donnyraindog]

11:45 AM on 04/13/2011

Eddie munster is all growed up but traumatized from finding out about grampa.

[cheesehed]

08:11 PM on 04/13/2011

Does he look like Eddie Munster or Potsie Webber from Happy Days? Or maybe a combo?

[Gaylord P Farqua]

11:39 AM on 04/13/2011

The questions for Boy Wonder and his "Ryancareless" package should include:
1. Does "Ryancareless" include a prohibition against the insurance industries most favorite way of not paying claims or denying coverage. That is, of course, their cherished "pre-existing conditions"?
2. How many Americans over 65 are "pre-existing condition " free?
There are dozens, if not more, questions about just how "Ryancareless" would work but, not the least of which is the validity of Ryan's self serving projection of what Seniors should get in his voucher system as adequate to cover medical expenses and/or insurance company premiums (which have been known to increase dramatically especially on sick people). The Congressional Budget Office did some projections and Seniors are well screwed with "Ryancareless". But, of course, Ryan and his pals in the insurance industry know that. Maybe the  costumed MOB led by Mrs. Justice Thomas is still in the dark about it though.

[jaslyn]

11:39 AM on 04/13/2011

note to Ryan, don't attack a group that we will all be a part of one day, you'll set yourself up for failure.

[Kazer Soze]

02:06 PM on 04/13/2011

The corporate bosses will take care of Ryan and his likes that's why they don't care whether they'll have a medicare or not.

[labgal]

11:21 AM on 04/13/2011

There was a very interesting article in the LA Times this morning concerning the number of GOP who are not yet lending their support to Ryan's plan. Yes, they say it is is courageous but these cowards are putting out statements that they are still "reviewing the plan" before they give it their endorsement. Some of the members of congress may ultimately vote for it but a lot of them are loosening their collars and swallowing because their constituents will not be happy if they vote for it. The vote on Friday is going to be very interesting. If enough GOP members are afraid to vote for it lest they face the wrath of seniors and their children, the Ryan plan will not pass.

[rtlr1004]

02:37 PM on 04/27/2011

The House has already passed it, haven't they?

[BraineyRubble]

11:18 AM on 04/13/2011

What a great budget plan. Lots of savings. Even the federal government can afford to print up a bunch of impossible to redeem coupons.

[AlexNYC]

11:14 AM on 04/13/2011

Paul Ryan's proposal represent true Death Panels for our senior citizens. Replacing the current Medicare system with vouchers with alimited threshold would present a catastrophe for people who come down with a serious illness such as cancer or a stroke, or require a surgical procedure. Many retired people cannot afford to pay for extra insurance or pay out of their pockets. They paid into Medicare all their working lives and expect that they will be covered when they need it. This all comes down to privatizing Medicare, and making the insurance companies more profits. To Paul Ryan, the lives of humans are expendable when it comes to corporate profits.

[jaslyn]

11:40 AM on 04/13/2011

and the allowable pittance he's offering them, will go to his precious insurance companies; a tool if there ever was one.

[lwilkerson50]

11:08 AM on 04/13/2011

Where is Sarah ..... The repub, Ryan's, will surely kill grandma.
Where are you Sarah .... you should be blasting Ryan right about NOW!
Where are you Saray ..... Come out - come out - where every you are.
Take care of Grandma.

[zenbamboo]

11:07 AM on 04/13/2011

Grandma got run over by a Republican.

[donnyraindog]

11:46 AM on 04/13/2011

Me and grandpa believe!